


Sex in spades

by Handfoodmentos



Category: Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bridge - Freeform, F/F, some smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-26 12:13:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15663015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Handfoodmentos/pseuds/Handfoodmentos
Summary: Carol and Therese play cards.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> I play bridge. To play, you need four people, two packs of cards. You play with a partner, a team of two, against your two opponents. You can score and you can take it very seriously. There are a lot of rules and conventions. 
> 
> I wondered about Carol and Therese meeting at a bridge club. 
> 
> I hope it’s fun to read.
> 
> I don’t know if it spoils the illusion, but I have never (yet) done what I have them doing. I still go to club every week...
> 
> I also want to say many thanks to Ligeria for her skills as a beta reader and editor. I very much appreciate your help, as ever.

Carol Aird was a bit of a bridge nerd. Bridge, the card game, that is, not the architectural structures, though those could be pretty interesting too. 

It was one of the things she had taken from her marriage to Harge. She’d learned when, newly married and at his parents’ one weekend evening, his mother had brought out the cards after dinner and encouraged her to make up the fourth they needed for a game. The first few times they had played, Carol had done nothing more than sit there like a dummy, smiling, polite, trying to pick up the rules. Jennifer and her husband John loved the game, the social aspect, the mental challenge of it, and their evening routine often involved bridge. Despite her initial reservations at being dragged into what she thought was a boring, old-fashioned game, it turned out that the strategy, the mechanics, the maths and sociability of it all appealed to Carol. 

So while she had soon left Harge, their marriage, and his parents behind, she had taken bridge with her. She had carried on playing in her new single life, trying a few, long-standing partners, but never sticking with anyone for long. 

She played regularly at local clubs. Groups of mostly dusty, elderly men and women, mentally spry but physically declining, and the occasional younger person thrown into the mix. The elderly tended to be those who had learned in bridge’s heyday, their youth, and who had played socially and at clubs for years. The younger people? Very serious, mainly, only intent on improving their game and beating their opponents, and the devil take conversation and good manners. 

Monday evenings, she played at a rather more informal club than the others she frequented. This was mainly a group from the university where she worked, people who had all learned together and who had carried on playing when their lessons stopped. Carol had helped arrange and organise the lessons, mainly to try to enlarge her playing circle and had kept playing with the group for the past few years. New people had come and people had left, but the core remained largely the same and Carol played with them weekly, with greater pleasure than at some of clubs she attended. The club hired a room in a very well-appointed hall in an affluent satellite village to the city. 

She drove to bridge club that Monday after a frustrating day at work, not wholly in the mood for cards. Wasn’t always. It happened. Best you could do on those days was coast through the evening, be polite, make a little conversation and not too many howlers (hopefully), come out the other side. They usually played for an hour, had a thirty minute tea break and then another hour of play. When she was feeling like she felt today, the cards were fine. It was the tea break she dreaded, and she hoped she wouldn’t get caught again tonight by a woman she disliked but who didn’t seem to have noticed Carol’s apathy towards her and her sagas of trying to sell her house, her many opinions on the state of local politics and the exploits of her beloved grandchild in Canada.

Carol parked and waited in her car until just before play normally started. She had tried this before - it lessened the chances of being caught by Mrs. House Sale when she didn’t much feel like listening to her and also meant that she generally had her pick of who she sat with. She could arrive when people were just moving to the tables and pick one of the more pleasant groups to join tonight. Fiddling with her phone, she could see a few other people sitting in their cars.

* * *

Having only taken up bridge again a few months earlier, Therese Belivet was not looking forward to going to the club her friend and neighbour Ruby played at. 

She wasn’t good enough yet, she said, still relied upon her notes to bid correctly. Wouldn’t the other players be irritated at her for this? 

Ruby laughed at her. 

“Listen,” she said, “Half of us there can’t even remember who dealt the cards for a game once it’s over, and most of the other half are thinking about work or their next holiday rather than paying attention to bridge. You’ll be fine. Don’t worry. I think you can play. You’ll be fine.”

She stopped looking for her car keys to look at Therese.

“Besides, you’re only visiting. They have to be polite. Now, come on.”

* * *

As seven o’clock approached, Carol got out of her car and walked toward the entrance of the hall. She saw another car pull up, Ruby’s, she thought, and waited for it to park, hoping if they went into the club together they could be partners and play together that evening. She liked Ruby, a solid player, reliable bidding, sharp. Had she given someone a lift though? Who was it with her? 

She stood in the half-light of the car park. Watched. Both doors opened; Ruby had brought someone. Who was it? Didn’t recognise the other person. Hadn’t seen her before. 

Someone small, dark? Was turning to Ruby, grabbing a big bag from the car. Carol heard them laugh. Car locked. Both coming towards her. 

Ruby saw Carol. Her face brightened. 

“Hi, Carol, how are you? This is Therese, my neighbour, a friend of mine.” 

She gestured at the younger woman who looked at Carol and smiled. Carol didn't know whether to offer her hand or not, did something awkward, a half movement, instead, returned the smile, nodded her greeting. As they all moved towards the hall, Ruby went on.

“Therese is just starting bridge. I brought her along tonight to show her that not all clubs are awful, so please be nice to her!” Ruby laughed. That was one of the things Carol liked about her. She was always teasing, finding humour. 

“In fact,” she went on as they got through the door, “how about you two partner each other? I said last week I would play with Mavis tonight and I didn't know Therese would want to come along …” 

She paused, aiming for a winsome look at Carol. Put her arm half around her to coax her further, rubbed. Spoke briskly.

“It would be helping me out. Therese needs someone nice to play with and I trust you.”

_Shit_ , thought Carol. Babysitting a stranger. One of the things about playing regularly with people was that you got to know their style. Whether they were rash when bidding, risk takers or more likely to be risk averse. Whether you could trust their bids, their leads, their choices. You could learn from familiarity what they meant when they played certain cards, outside of any regular playing conventions, and whether they concentrated, counted, worked things out, or were rather more cavalier and trusting to luck.

She smiled at Therese, who was looking like she’d been cut adrift, and led her to a free table.

* * *

_I’ll kill her. Bloody Ruby. I’ll kill her. Leaving me. Fuck. I can’t. Who has she left me with??_

Therese was digging in her bag for her bridge notes while her thoughts ran to murder. 

She kept her head down towards her bag but managed to sneak a look across the table. Carol (was it? Had she heard the name correctly?) had poise. The blonde sat in this weird village hall on a plastic chair across a plastic table from her and seemed to Therese like she knew everything there was to know and ever could be known about bridge. Most other stuff too, probably. Life, generally, would all fall into line under Carol’s will. Sitting there looking well put together, cool and calm, cheekbones, pale shirt, several buttons undone at the throat, silver necklace, collarbones on show, sleeves turned up a couple of times to show pale arms, freckles, as she shuffled the first pack of cards. 

Therese realised she had said something, missed it, refocused.

“I’m sorry?”

“I said, welcome to our bridge club, Therese. Have you been playing for long? What made you take it up?”

Carol shuffled the second pack of cards as she spoke, looked at Therese, but also to the room for someone else to join them. Caught the eye of two women who were chatting in a corner. Raised her eyebrows, made a ‘play with us?’ gesture and pulled out the spare chairs at their table as they set out towards them.

Therese tried to think of a way she could introduce the group home she’d grown up in to this cool stranger. The one or two nuns who were still involved in the place at the time she was there, the evenings that she and a couple of older girls got to spend with them, playing cards. A treat. Favouritism maybe. The later, brief introduction to bridge when a new nun transferred into the home, but Therese reaching official adulthood soon after and therefore having to leave. Rediscovering it recently, wanting to find again the feelings of safety and comfort she associated with that place and with card games. 

She said instead, “I just thought it looked interesting. Looked online. Played a bit. I knew Ruby played here.” 

She tailed off as Cynthia, a slightly whiskery academic, and Linda, her bridge partner, joined them. Introductions were made. Therese not Theresa? Yes. Her surname? Belivet, she spelled it out. Czech, she said, originally. 

Carol raised an eyebrow, looked at her. A half smile.

“It’s very original.”

Looked away.

Therese blushed, still blushed at twenty-six like she had as a child. 

Is she flirting? No. Can’t be. She’s being nice. Stop it.

Carol took one pack of cards, spread them face down on the table and invited Therese and their opponents to pick one to decide who dealt first.

Linda drew the highest card of the four of them so she would be dealing. Carol cut the cards to her and she dealt the pack out while Cynthia shuffled the other pack again. 

This was the first time Therese had played bridge with a real person in ten years. Sister Mary, the bridge fiend, had told her that she should always discuss their ground rules with a new partner before a game. Weak or strong no trumps? Whether or not they would play weak twos. She briefly wondered if she and Carol should have agreed these extra elements of their play but her partner was now looking so sternly at the cards in her hand as she sorted them that she daren’t.

* * *

Carol discreetly eyed up Therese. Small, dark. Green eyes. Delicate. Maybe strong. Arty? In black. Something draped, looked like a fit body underneath. Buttons. Pale skin. Small hands. She looked competent to Carol, someone who normally didn’t take bullshit. She seemed nervous right now though, some weird energy. Took a while to answer what was meant to be a conversation starter about bridge. Something there? A subtext? Not sure. 

Moved on. Introductions. Spread the cards for everyone to pick one, decide who dealt. Little bit of flirting, trying to relax Therese. Charm her. She’d play better when she relaxed, Carol felt. Did an eyebrow raise. Corny as heck but Therese blushed beautifully, looked downward, smiled. Carol liked that. 

She was prepared to take it very easy tonight. Babysitting a beginner? She didn’t want to make things more complicated than they had to be. Looked at her cards, concentrating now, sorted them into suits. She had enough points to bid. Hoped Therese knew her basics, could use what Carol assumed were her bidding notes to try to make a contract.

The first game they played was tentative. Feeling each other out. Linda and Cynthia played together regularly, were excellent players but generous with it, never crowing when they won or getting too despondent if they lost. Sometimes the cards were just against you, sometimes you were outsmarted. As long as they played well, they were happy.

Carol chose to play safe with her bidding in the next game. Therese surprised her with an aggressive response in card terms, very positive. Maybe she was less nervous than Carol had assumed? She hoped to god she knew what she was doing - she felt a bit protective, didn’t want Therese to be left trying to play out some rotten contract through the game. That was always crushing, and she didn’t want a beginner to suffer it. Carol’s response to the bid, therefore, was cautious - supportive but giving Therese the chance to hold back on galloping over the edge if she wished. Therese leapt over, went for game.

* * *

Therese had some very good cards. Picture cards and an uneven distribution. It meant her hand was strong, powerful in the game. When Carol opened the bidding, Therese got excited. Bridge bidding was a silent journey around the cards through a series of conventions. You wanted to see if you and your partner’s cards fitted together well to make a strong match. If they did, you could more than likely take more tricks than your opponents. More tricks meant more points. 

She risked it. Bid positively. Looked across the table at her partner and saw a flicker of surprise on Carol’s face. Liked it. So there was more emotion under that polite exterior after all. That was new. At Carol’s next bid, eye contact, a minuscule check to see she knew what she was doing, Therese silently signalling she was ok. She felt confident. 

Linda and Cynthia defended well but were no match to the sheer strength and fit of Carol and Therese’s cards. It was a straightforward game that Therese could control, able to move from hand to hand, mostly getting their opponents to play the cards she wanted them to. She made the contract she had bid and one extra trick.

She was pleased with how she’d played, beamed as Cynthia told her “Well done,” and looked to Carol. 

Her partner met her eye, smiled broadly, and said, “Well played. That could have been tricky in places but you controlled it. Really well done.”

Praise from Carol. Therese liked that. Could do with more of that. A warm feeling inside. Little pep in her step.

* * *

The rest of the evening, both Carol and Therese played well. The luck of the cards was with them and they quickly seemed to naturally intuit what cards the other would play or would want them to play. It was beautiful when that happened, both in sync, and Carol knew it didn't happen often. She idly wondered if it might happen outside bridge too.

During the tea break, trapped by Mrs. House Sale (she’d finally had an offer on her overpriced bungalow apparently) she’d escaped from the aural onslaught by beginning to plot how she could get Therese to come to bridge club regularly, to be her, Carol’s, partner. She looked over at Therese who was talking to Ruby, both with a cup of tea in hand. They were animated, laughing, and Carol found herself fervently wishing she was over there with them. That thought was followed by one that surprised her a little. She wished that just she and Therese were talking. That she could get to know more about her. A lot more. Anyone could see that Therese was attractive - Carol certainly did, for sure - but she also wanted to explore her as a person. Know her answers to stupid questions. Had she ever broken any bones? Weirdest dream. Cats or dogs. Favourite book. Apple or Android. What made her laugh, what made her roll her eyes, what frustrated her. Ideal imaginary dinner party guests, shoe size, what was she a nerd about, what else could make her look as joyful as she did when she triumphed at bridge? The book of Therese. Carol found herself wanting to study it all. 

Break ended and they were partnered again. Resumed where they had left off.

Their table was the last one playing at the end of the evening. Cynthia had taken an age to decide on her bidding, and they were still mid-game as the others in the club packed up and started gathering to leave. After her mini epiphany at the break about Therese, Carol spent the second half keyed up. She didn’t do this often, had a bad record with successfully approaching women, but wanted to get Therese’s contact details as soon as the game finished. Use bridge as a pretext. Move on from there, hopefully. When the game did eventually end, however, Cynthia grabbed her attention about a particular aspect of how they had just played. When Carol looked up again, Therese had already left.

* * *

“How are you finding it?”

Therese turned to see Ruby holding a cup of tea out towards her.

She took it, thanked her, sipped. 

“It’s been great, actually, the cards are really on our side and Carol and I seem to be weirdly in tune. Enjoying it.”

“Great.” Ruby smiled. “And Carol’s being ok with you? She can be a bit frosty at first, but she soon warms up. And she’s an excellent player.”

“Yeah, she’s been really good. Generous. I’m happy to be playing with her.”

“She must like you! Thank god that worked out well.” Ruby laughed again, and went on to talk about her games that evening. Before break ended, she reminded Therese that she wanted to leave on time tonight - she needed to get home as her husband wasn’t well. She thought it wasn’t anything serious, maybe just man flu, but wanted to get back to him. 

Therese was loving her evening. Bridge club was so much better than she had expected. Playing with Carol, with someone seemed who to get her, was amazing. A real high. And from the signals the blonde seemed to be giving off, she was having a good time too. Therese’s gaydar was a bit wonky sometimes - she’d made more than one approach to women who weren’t interested in her - but she was confident enough in herself and her spidey senses to think that Carol might be open to more than just playing cards together. She wasn’t sure though. Decided to sit back and wait, let the blonde make a move. She didn’t want to fuck up a potentially beautiful bridge partnership if Carol wasn’t interested in anything else.

When they started the cards again, Therese thought Carol seemed a little less relaxed than she had been earlier. It didn’t seem to affect her play but Therese picked up on something. Wasn’t sure what. Just different. She’d seen her get pounced on at the break by an older woman with a bad dye job, had tried to catch her eye from across the room and give her a sympathetic look, but Carol hadn’t felt her gaze. Maybe she was just tired. 

As their game drew to a close, she could feel Ruby hovering behind her, metaphorically tapping her watch. She tried not to let it distract her but knew her lift was anxious to leave and get home. When the game ended, she said a quiet thanks to the table, grabbed her notes and her bag and left, Ruby leading the way. She wasn’t sure if Carol had seen her go but they could talk another time. Next time, hopefully.

* * *

“And when Cynthia finally stopped talking, they’d gone.” Carol looked at her friend Abby and pulled a disappointed face. She stopped fiddling with the glass of wine she had on the table in the pub and took a sip. 

“And now, I don’t know what to do. Should I try to get her details from Ruby or do I wait until bridge next week, act casual? ‘Oh, Therese, fancy you coming back, want to play with me?’”

They both laughed as she emphasised the word “play” with a comedy wink and a knowing look. 

“You really like her, huh?” Abby asked. 

It was normally Carol who listened to Abby’s tales of the new women she was interested in, that there definitely was something special about this one, this time. Carol had had a few relationships during their friendship, had needed (and received) Abby’s support when they had foundered, but this felt different. 

“Oh my god,” Abby went on, laughing. “You could become like a lesbian power couple in bridge. Crushing all who dare challenge you!” Her arm swept out, dangerously close to her own wine glass, empty now, as she gestured towards the worlds that Carol and Therese could be queens of, looked dreamily at their future. 

“Good luck. Why not play it cool though? Wait until next week. You’ll see each other at bridge club, no? You can check to see if Therese is actually interested in you, how she reacts to you this time. Now I need another glass of wine. Want one?”

She grabbed her wallet, pushed back her chair, started to move toward the bar, looked at her friend.

“Please,” said Carol. “Small one this time though.” Abby was half a glass ahead of her, but Carol didn't want to go home yet, even if it was a work day the next day.

* * *

Therese to Dannie:  
So I asked R about her on the way home. Casual like. What did she know about her?

Dannie to Therese:  
*waits*

Therese to Dannie:  
R said she didn’t know very much. C quite reserved. Warms up but not always chatty.

Dannie to Therese:  
…  
FFS, Belivet, just tell me!! ;-P

Therese to Dannie:  
R said C a Mystery Woman at bridge but then let slip that she knows her from the lessons at the uni and she’s gay :-)))

Dannie to Therese:  
Woo hoo! So, you gonna get her details? Want to play more than cards with her?? *innocent face*

Therese to Dannie:  
YES. She’s a bit out of my league though. Fuck. Do I even have a chance? But yes. Yes. YES. 

Therese sat back. Put her phone down. Rubbed her eyes. Tired, but yes, she did want to see Carol again. She wanted to see how far their friendship could develop. Would develop. Excited already for next Monday evening. 

She sat back down on her bed. She’d been thinking of Carol a lot since they had met. Scooched up a bit and lay back, legs bent at the knees. One turning out and touching the sheet, the other pointing upwards. Closed her eyes, one hand drifting lower, her stomach, her shorts, her groin. Rested in the fuzz there. Fingers dipping to her centre. Touched herself. Soothing. Brought two fingers back to her mouth, licked them. Carried the spit down. She was wet already, deeper, but this was habit. Two fingers on her clit. Rubbing. Trapping it. Smoothing. Dipped deeper. Up again. A slow cycle of movement. Teasing. Concentrating on an image of what it would be like to see Carol’s head between her legs. How it would feel. Slow pleasure rising. 

Unexpected movement. What? Fuck.

Her cat had jumped on the bed, wanting affection. 

“Fuck off, Oliver,” she told him. Shoved him onto the floor. Made a shoo-ing sound to make sure he didn’t attempt to get back on the bed until she’d reached her goal.

Lay back again. Closed her eyes. Had lost her place near her peak but focused again. Concentrated. Same movements. Same images. Carol between her legs. Cool Carol. Cool, pale Carol. Breathing. Her face. Her teeth. Her fingers. Her tongue. Licking, branding hot stripes on Therese. She grabbed a breast hard with her free hand, squeezed, twisted her nipple, could feel it coming. Could feel herself rising. Tensing. Fingers working and working and the images and the fingers and the images and the fingers and she was drawn tighter and tighter and higher and higher and then - oh - she was free.


	2. Chapter 2

Carol sat in her car outside bridge club. She was nervous, felt she had put on too much perfume before she left her house, was travelling in a scented fug. She reeked. What if Therese was allergic? What if it made her sneeze? God. Why was she behaving like this? Talked to herself. Actually spoke. 

“Calm down, Carol, you idiot. You can’t be charming and witty and impress the woman if you’re all worked up. Now breathe.”

And she did. Yoga breathing. Deep yoga breaths. Closed her eyes. She pretended she was nonchalant. It worked for a few moments. Gave herself another pep talk as seven o’clock approached. 

_Be chill. You can do this._

Carol looked for Ruby’s car as she got out of hers and went towards the hall. Couldn’t see it. Wondered if she and Therese had car-shared this week with another bridge club member or if Ruby was driving herself and Therese here but just even more last minute than usual? She had faith they would be inside or turn up soon. Trusted the Fates. 

Ruby and Therese weren’t inside.

Carol hung back as much as she could while everyone was partnering up. Fiddled unnecessarily with something at the bottom of her handbag just to give Ruby and Therese time to turn up. When the tables had almost all settled in fours and only a Linda-less Cynthia was still without a partner, Carol accepted the situation, met her eye and smiled. 

“Shall we?” she asked, and they joined a table. 

All through the first session of play, Carol was distracted, thought about Therese. She had been doing a lot of that during the previous week. Idle thoughts. Images. It was Therese's eyes she kept coming back to, and the intelligence and interest in them. 

Worried though. Was she right to think that Therese might feel the same about her as she did? That she might also be keen to see if their newborn connection worked as well outside of cards as it did in? If she did though, and by god, Carol hoped she did, then why hadn’t she turned up at bridge tonight? Ruby wasn’t here though. Maybe car trouble? An appointment? Some commitment? That must be it. She shouldn’t read too much into it. 

She did, of course. Fretted.

During the break, dumped Cynthia and their opponents to speedily manoeuvre to Mavis, the club chair, made chit chat, mentioned the absence of Ruby and the woman she brought with her last week - Therese, was it? Playing down her interest.

Mavis said, “Ah, yes. Ruby sent me a message earlier. Unfortunately her husband is really unwell. Some flu-y thing that’s knocked him back. She had to stay home and take care of him, she said. She apologised and said she’d be back next week if she could. Presume Therese will be back if she is.”

Took a sip of her cup of tea and grinned at Carol, who was teetering between blessed relief and a darker belief that somehow the absence, the illness, was a sign from the universe that she should calm down about the newcomer.

“Did you get on ok with Therese? Ruby seemed to think you’d really gelled. It’s always lovely to find a promising potential partner.” Mavis was a retired headteacher, bright lipstick, capable manner. She was a good chair. Head on one side now, looked at Carol, waiting for a response. 

Carol swallowed. 

“She was great. We really connected. It could be the start of a beautiful partnership.” She tailed off. Wasn't sure how to continue. How she wanted to continue. 

“Well, good. Good.” Mavis took up the conversational baton again, led briskly on to the next holiday that she and her elderly boyfriend were planning. Carol switched off, nodded in what she hoped were the right places.

The rest of the evening passed, as evenings do. Carol drove home, somehow deflated.

* * *

Therese’s phone chirped. 

Ruby to Therese:  
Sorry, Therese - can’t make it to bridge this week - Colin’s really unwell with this flu thing. I’ve let M know we won’t be there. Hopefully back next week x

Shit. No bridge. No chance of improving her knowledge of Carol or bettering her bridge skills. She had really wanted to get Carol’s contact details if nothing else, see what happened if they started chatting. When they started chatting. Therese wasn’t going to let go easily of the chance to find out more about the woman who’d given her such vivid thoughts. They were going to meet again, for cards if nothing else, and she was resolved. She was going to be persistent in this. Explore Carol further if she could. If Carol wanted her to. If it did all only end up as a bridge partnership, fine, but she wanted to give herself the chance of finding out if her images of Carol between her legs were matched by the reality.

* * *

Abby was in place, looking at something on her phone, when Carol arrived at yoga. She quickly unrolled her mat next to her friend, took her shoes and socks off, settled down. This class at a local leisure centre appealed mainly due to the charms of the instructor, a peaceful blonde who exuded calm and had a bosom anyone would want to lay their head on. Abby and Carol had been coming here regularly for a year or two, had their spot in one corner, found it soothing and familiar and good for them mentally and physically. 

Abby stopped reading what Carol assumed were emails, looked up.

“I haven’t seen you to ask. How was bridge yesterday? How was seeing Therese again??”

Her eyebrow wiggle made her intentions clear - she wanted to know All Of The Gossip and be quick about it before class started and they had to be quiet.

Carol pulled a half smile. Screwed up her face a bit. 

“She wasn’t there. Ruby’s husband was ill so she couldn’t get to club and of course, neither could Therese. No gossip for you, Abby. Sorry.”

Her friend looked sympathetic. 

“Shit. Sorry. I know how much you wanted to see her again. Next week? Will she be there next week?”

Carol crossed her legs as the instructor brought the group to order to start the class, whispered, “I don’t know. I hope so” and was quiet. The further away she got, however, from the intense feeling she had had about Therese the previous week, the more she began to doubt it. She spent the relaxation part at the end of the yoga session distracted, vaguely trying to work out why she had been so enamoured with this virtual stranger. She didn’t reach any conclusion.

* * *

Therese was super excited about the prospect of seeing Carol again. She thought her best plan was to play it a bit cool, hadn’t wanted to crowd her, and so hadn’t tried to see if she could get her details from Ruby. Had seen her neighbour through her kitchen window at the weekend though, banged on it to draw her attention, asked after Colin when Ruby had stopped, popped to Therese’s front door. 

“He’s fine, thanks. Back on his feet. No issues with me taking you to bridge this week,” she said. “So you weren’t scared off last time then? You want to go back?”

Therese smiled and replied, “Yes, I want to go back. It’ll be good for my bridge to play people more regularly and not just against a computer.”

“Excellent. Come round about quarter to then, on Monday. See you.” Ruby gave a small wave as she walked away.

Therese beamed to herself. Full of hope, quiet hope, about what the next bridge session could bring. Maybe the start of something. The germ of something potentially precious. The rest of the weekend seemed to pass far too slowly. 

Monday evening, she was ready early. Had come home from work, eaten, fed Oliver, gathered her bridge notes, bag, and was ready by 6:30. Too early. Keyed up. Sat on her stairs with her jacket on. Read emails on her phone. Opened a bridge app. Started a game. Wasn’t concentrating. Restarted it. Gave up. 

Eventually went to Ruby’s five minutes early.

Ruby was very chatty as she drove. Lots of news - one grandchild had just had a birthday, another had done well at school that week, received recognition for achievement. Therese just let it all wash over her, liked Ruby and her family very much, but wasn’t feeling very interested in it tonight. 

As they drew into the car park, Ruby asked if Therese wanted to partner her that evening.

“Shall we? Take on Cynthia and Linda as a team??”

Therese didn’t know how to answer. She wanted to play with Ruby but also wanted so so much to restart her partnership with Carol. See if they could pick up where they’d left off the week before. She changed the subject, didn’t respond definitively, asked about Ruby’s experience of using higher level bridge conventions instead and they were still discussing this as they entered the hall.

Letting Ruby go first through a door was Therese’s habit, politeness, but this time she hung back a second longer. Took a breath. Prepared mentally to see Carol in the flesh again. Went in. Looked amongst those gathered.

Carol wasn’t there.

* * *

Fuck. What a day. Fucking meeting, fucking traffic, fucking everything. She was never late. Hated it. Thought it was rude. Fuck it. Who arranges a meeting to start at 5 in the afternoon? Five o’clock? That was basically home time. People had lives outside work. Needed to leave. Get on with stuff. Fuck it. Now she was late for bridge. Had she been bitten by something as well? God. Should she even bother going to club? She would be fifteen minutes late at least, a chunk of the first session gone. 

No, come on. You can do it. It’s worth going. Still loads of time to play. Hopefully Therese will be there and you can see if her bridge is as good as your memory of her. Just her bridge? Just her bridge. I think. You never know. That might change when you see her again. Oh god. What if she doesn’t want the same? Less risk with just bridge. Bridge. Right. 

She arrived at club at just about 7:25.

Going in, she looked around. Noticed Ruby and Therese at a table. Therese looked up, her face brightened. That was a lovely thing. 

Carol saw there were three tables playing but with more than four people around two of them. The numbers must be odd - were there fourteen here? Had to be. Those who had arrived on time had made the best of it with one table of four plus two of five. The fives were quite normal - four people played a game and then whoever had been dealer sat out the next. 

With fifteen people (now Carol had made it), they could play three tables of four and a three. When a bridge game is played, there’s one person who sits and does literally nothing once the contract has been made between them and their partner. After they’ve had this silent conversation to explore and reach the best suit and contract to try to reach, one partner plays and the other is the dummy. A dummy. Does nothing other than lay down their cards for everyone to see. When you have a table of three players, they can call on the dummy from a table of four to come and be the fourth in their game. Floating dummies was a usual thing in this club. Numbers weren’t always quite right for playing in fours.

Carol apologised for arriving late - a meeting late in the day and running over - and then waited while the two people who weren’t playing in the games of five gathered their things and joined her at an empty table. Smiled at Linda and Jill as they settled. Linda sat across from Carol, Jill facing an empty chair. Jill took one of the packs of cards while Linda shuffled the other, spread them face down on the table to pick for dealer. Highest card dealt. Carol turned up a king so it was her to deal first.

Thirteen cards each. All three women picked up and sorted their hands into suits. Linda finished first, leaned back, and looked at the other tables. 

“Is there a dummy anywhere, please?” she asked quietly. 

Liz, a capable player and dummy in the game at the table next to them, came to sit opposite Jill, picked up the cards at her place and sorted them. 

The bidding conversation started between both couples. 

Carol and Linda seemed to have a match in their suits - they signalled to each other that they had strength in hearts. 

Liz and Jill - nervous Jill, Carol called her in her head - she was likely to panic under pressure - were just saying pass as their turn to bid came up. Passing meant they felt that they had weaker hands of cards and they did not think they could take more tricks than their opponents. 

Carol and Linda ended the bidding in a four hearts contract. They were aiming to take ten tricks (of a possible thirteen). As Carol had called the suit of hearts to start with, she was playing the cards and Linda was dummy.

She was pleased when Linda put her down her cards, thinking they should be able to make the contract.

* * *

Therese was dummy at another table.

Ruby was playing a one no trump contract. Therese didn’t like playing in no trumps - she liked the certainty of a winning card, but her partner was playing well so far, not letting their opponents in. 

She was paying attention to Ruby’s play when she heard her name.

“Therese. Sorry. Are you dummy? Could you…?”

Carol was looking over at her, gestured to the space opposite her. 

_Shit._

“Oh, yes. Yes. Of course,” she said and gathered her things to move. Said a polite goodbye to her table. There had been a four at Carol’s table last time Therese had looked. Carol’s partner - Linda, was it, Therese wasn’t certain she’d remembered it correctly from last time - must have been called away to play on another table. 

_Ok, come on. This is what you came for, no? Play with Carol? Get to know her?_

Pulled out the chair. Sat down. Looked across the table. 

Carol smiled at her, mouthed a thank you and murmured introductions to their opponents, Liz and Jill.

“You dealt this hand,” she, Carol, said. Dealing in bridge travels around the table, each player taking a turn. It was Therese's empty seat who had been next to deal, so someone else in the three had done it for them. The dealer was the first person to bid if they could though, if they had a hand with a good enough value, so Therese had to sort her cards as quickly as she could and make a decision. 

She was flustered. Muddled her suits. Carol was going to think she was stupid, that last time was a fluke. Took a breath. Pushed the cards in her hand together. Fanned them again, concentrated, sorted. Counted the points. 

On the other side of the table, Carol looked hopeful then distracted. Scratched her arm. Touched her collarbone. Something there?

Therese met her eyes, regretful. She didn’t have enough points in her cards to make an opening bid. Wasn't anything she could do about it.

“Pass.”

Liz and Jill worked together effectively in their bidding. It seemed clear that they had more points in their hands than Carol and Therese. Their best plan now, Carol and Therese, would be to try to stop their opponents making all of the tricks they had said they could. Defending was a skill. Spoiled your opponents’ fun. The contract Liz and Jill had settled on was three no trumps. Liz had a strong hand and Jill had supported her. They should, therefore, be easily able to make nine tricks but Therese knew that she and Carol had a chance to stop them if there was a suit of cards they were weaker in.

Therese paid attention when Carol led her first card. You couldn't talk out loud in bridge, but you could use your cards to give each other messages. Carol’s lead signalled to Therese the suit that she was strong in and that Therese could see that Liz and Jill might lack. When Jill laid her hand down, Carol was proved right. Therese smiled to herself, looked at Carol, wordlessly agreeing with her choice. Carol met her eye. Small smile back. Something in her look, behind the bridge. A question? Carol turned her gaze first, shifted her sleeve a little and touched somewhere near her left elbow, inner arm. Therese could see a small cluster of what looked like bites, red on white. Scratch marks temporarily highlighted them. Carol laid her fingers there as if to try to soothe the irritation. 

Back to the cards.

Therese loved the control that she and Carol managed to exert at the beginning of the game. With a combination of both luck and judgement, they won enough tricks to mean that Liz and Jill could not make their contract, despite them having the stronger hands. It was a kind of spoiling, squeezing triumph that you couldn’t celebrate openly - that just wasn’t done, other than a brief “Bad luck” to your opponents at the end - but it was a lovely thing to achieve. 

She was flushed with it all as the game ended. Saw Jill’s head drop a little as she counted the number of tricks they’d taken and added the penalties score to her scoresheet. Looked at Carol who was smiling modestly. Saw her shift her shirt collar aside and scratch at something. More bites? Wondered about what was underneath the shirt. Focused on the bottom of Carol’s neck, her collarbones, the necklace there. Decided she would act tonight.

* * *

Carol was secretly giddy after the game that she and Therese had played. The beautiful way they had worked together to strangle the hopes of their opponents, the connection that she had felt with Therese, their perfect understanding. God, it was good. She heard Liz mutter something about the split of the suits, trying to explain the game, but she didn’t care. As Carol noted down the penalty points she and Therese had won on her own scoresheet, she smiled a little. Scratched at bites - more fucking bites - she must have on her collarbone. Wondered if she had an antihistamine in her handbag. Told herself to stop scratching. Looked up after she had gathered her cards together and caught Therese’s eye. Felt the heat of it. Shit. Maybe she was interested after all. Felt the tide of the evening change. Being drawn towards something she was both excited by and scared of. Could she? Should she? It was the mid-session break. Heard others moving toward the kitchen for tea and chat. Suddenly needed a moment. A breath. Went to the bathroom.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sex, basically.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait and post this but it’s written so here goes ;-)

Therese followed Carol into the bathroom, where she found her washing her hands and splashing cool water on the insect bites on her arm.

She stood close. 

“Those are really bothering you, aren’t they?”

She took Carol’s arm, gently turned it so the pale flesh of her inner arm was topmost. She could see the cluster of small red bites standing out against the blue veined smoothness. 

“One of the nuns in a place I was in once told me an old wives’ cure for easing insect bites. Want to try it?”

She looked at Carol. Could almost feel her holding her breath. Worried then that she was going too far. She didn’t think she had imagined Carol’s initial interest in her, the glances, the body language. Fortune favours the brave. Come on. Forward. Forward.

“Sister Alicia always said that a really good way to calm insect bites, maybe because it was a cheap kind of place and there wasn’t money for lotions and creams, god knows…” 

She stopped rambling. Traced her fingers over the bites. 

“Anyway.”

A pause.

“Saliva.”

And she took Carol’s exposed inner arm, bent her head and kissed it.

* * *

Carol swallowed. Her voice left her. Therese lifted Carol’s arm and lightly traced the insect bites on her inner forearm with cool fingers. Followed her fingers with the gentlest of kisses. Opened her lips after the kiss, stuck her tongue out. Licked the bites. All the while she looked at Carol. Heat in her eyes. Moved closer to her. Found the bites at her collarbone. Same process, a cool tracing, a kiss, a lick. 

A noise came from her then, from Carol. Something like a whine. A release. An animal sound of pleasure. Therese smiled, kissed her collarbone again. Moved across her, up to the base of her throat. Slowly kissed and licked her way up Carol’s neck. Breathed hot. Nuzzled. Reached her lips. Featherlight. Almost not there. Impulses everywhere. Oh, wet. Soaring. Harder. Kissing that was hot, joyful, clumsy, fitting.

Their lips meeting, the warmth and weight of Therese on her body, leaning up and into her, pressing into her, Carol was alive. 

She grabbed fistfuls of Therese’s shirt, pulled her closer, didn’t want any space between them now, not a centimetre. She was being pressed back hard against the sink and vanity unit. Blindly scooted up until she half sat on it, half leaning, toes still touching the ground but supported. 

The shock of the loss of Therese on her lips, the shock of her moving to kiss Carol’s throat again, unbutton her shirt, her breasts, could feel her breath, her lips, her tongue, her teeth. Therese moved like she was without sight, like she was sensing Carol. Her hands, hot now. Eye contact, understanding, assent, oh god, yes. Therese cupped Carol’s breasts through her bra, mouthed her chest, felt her nipples. Pushed the fabric down, the air a temporary, tiny shock, then her hot mouth, her tongue. Stopped at a nipple, bit, licked, sucked, all the while teasing the other with her hand. Moved over. Paused at the mole between her breasts. Felt like she was devouring her and Carol willing, oh so willing, unthinking, just pleasure.

* * *

These beautiful fucking breasts, skin, pale and secret, Therese wanted to claim it all with her tongue, her body, her heat. She was both senseless and aware, checked, pushed Carol’s bra down, tried to move closer, be closer, although that was an impossibility. Shivering with pleasure at Carol’s touching her, nails pressing, body reacting. More beautiful skin uncovered, vulnerable in the light. Moles? Hell, yes. Focused on these tiny patches of pigment. The small noises Carol made drove her on. Moved her hands to her waist, to her back, freed the rest of Carol’s shirt, moved to her waistband. Paused, checked again, suddenly aware they were metres away from the rest of the bridge club, saw nothing but yes in Carol’s eyes and unbuttoned her jeans.

* * *

Christ. Yes. Yes. Carol had become nothing but her body, her reactions to Therese, warmth, opening. She moved her legs, gave access to pressing, knowing fingers, shuffled her jeans, underwear to ease Therese closer, wanted nothing more than to give herself, open herself as fully as she could. Felt fingers at the heart of her, slippery, slipping, simultaneously strong and delicate, a rhythm, almost a rhythm, but it didn’t matter, god this would be quick, she was there and alive and a moment or two, a moment or two, she was released.

* * *

Therese held Carol as she came. Kept holding her as she softened, her heart rate returning to normal, eyes refocusing. Stayed close. Breath mingling. Kissed. Surprised when Carol moved forward off the vanity unit.

“The tap,” Carol said weakly, smiling. “Poking into me.”

She pointed behind her.

“My arse …”

Therese laughed, pulled her close again, rubbed the sore spot. Started to help Carol readjust her clothing. Carol’s hands on hers, stopping their movement. A pause. A kiss. Carol’s look now full of desire, Therese responding. Lips on her neck, her throat. Mind blank other than with want now. Carol turned them, Therese against the vanity. Took Therese’s hands, put the fingers that had been in her moments ago in her mouth and sucked them slowly, her tongue sinuous, powerful.

Therese was suddenly warm all over, clit pulsing with her heartbeat.

* * *

While she sucked Therese’s fingers, Carol made a small prayer to a god that she didn’t believe in that no-one wanted to pee in the next few minutes, hyper-aware that the rest of the bridge club were just outside an unlocked bathroom door. Tasted herself. Tasted the familiar. Wanted to taste the new. Shook away the risk of discovery and moved on, leaned into Therese, kissing and licking the soft skin of her neck, her ear, breathed hot as her hands were busy. Manoeuvred Therese’s shirt up, kissed her belly, her breasts in her bra, heard Therese hiss with pleasure as she helped undo it and Carol used her mouth, her tongue on one nipple while rolling the other. Took a micro-moment, felt like home, felt right, this pleasure, this place, but onward. Looked up at Therese, should we? Green eyes, don’t stop now, Therese’s hands in Carol’s hair, holding her. Up for a kiss. Resolve. Pulled Therese towards the larger of the two cubicles. 

As soon as the door was locked behind them, full focus, pressed Therese against the wall, kissing, claiming her skin. 

God, she wanted to … Could they? How long before they were missed?

Therese grabbed her arse. Hands down Carol’s jeans. 

Forgot the danger. Didn’t care now. Full of want. Moved Therese so she sat on the edge of the closed toilet seat. Standing in front, leaned over, kissed again, hummed with pleasure, felt Therese’s hands on her breasts, her head, her neck, moved to kneel, kissing, kissing. Broke off to run hands up the outside of Therese’s bare legs, thighs, under her skirt, trembling with the power of what she was feeling, felt Therese was experiencing too. Reached her underwear, Therese lifting herself slightly so they moved easily. Rolled them down to the floor, over sandals, off.

* * *

Therese was lust drunk. Knew what would happen when Carol led them to the cubicle. The lewdness, the baseness of being half naked - doing what they had already done in this public area - aroused her even more. Wanted to touch every centimetre of Carol's skin. Her dominance now was a reversal of their earlier roles, and Therese willingly followed. 

Cold seat. Quickly hot. Lifted up to help Carol take her knickers off, knew how wet she was already. Closed her eyes a moment as Carol claimed her breasts with her mouth again, sucked at a nipple, her tongue moving and pressing, Therese’s pleasure rising. 

Leaned forward to kiss as Carol’s hands moved to the inside of her thighs, teasing this time, feather light. Shivered and leaned back as Carol followed the trail her hands had made with her mouth, tongue, teeth, licking and nipping. Heard her own breathing loud as she opened her legs wider. Subtle shift forward, open, ready. Saw Carol smile, look up, put a finger in her mouth and then, as Therese watched, dip it to her centre and brush her clit with an upstroke. Christ. Fists curled involuntarily into Carol’s shirt. Closed her eyes again. Felt Carol move lower. Breath on her thighs as her fingers explored Therese. All senses focused on her groin, nowhere else, nothing else. Blood rushing. Hands on Carol’s head, clutching her closer.

* * *

Such heat, so ready, so pleased, so pleasing. Carol drew her fingers through Therese’s labia, teasing upward. Urged on by hands grabbing her shirt, her head, she knelt lower, began her trail along Therese’s thighs again, her pale, strong flesh, licking and kissing and nipping and trembling. Moved a leg over her shoulder, momentary check to see Therese was comfortable, could stay, and drew her tongue up Therese’s centre. Glorious, glorious pleasure there, this gift, this pearl, the heart of her. Their heart. This moment. Light and then strong with her tongue, her fingers, exploring, finding rhythm, sucking and suckling, wanting to drive Therese deeper into the joy she was experiencing at this, this sacred, sexy joining. Felt Therese begin to rise, to tense, to grind into Carol’s mouth, kept her rhythm, focused, drawn higher with her, tighter, tighter, tighter, oh! Shuddering with her, thighs clamping her head at Therese’s core.

* * *

She was fluid and light and endless heat as she came. Felt Carol slow her movements, pause, gently disentangle. Saw her sit back, smiling, wiping her face. 

“Wow.”

“Wow, yourself,” Therese said. “You are pretty fucking good at that.” Laughed. 

Carol looked pleased and bashful. 

“Thanks”, she said. Grinned. “I’m just happy you had a good time. What was all that bite bullshit earlier, you smooth dog?”

Therese laughed again, giddy now.

“But it worked though!” 

“I never said it didn’t, I just, it was so corny!” Carol’s laugh died and she stiffened and stopped. 

Quietly, “What?”

Carol made a gesture. Listen. Shush. 

Therese could faintly hear someone asking, shit, could hear someone (Ruby?) asking if they had seen Carol and Therese. The questioner was laughing and Therese was inclined to stay put for a while longer but Carol withdrew from Therese, hurried to rearrange her clothes, button her shirt. 

“Break time is over, I guess,” Therese said as she put her own clothing back in order. Smiled at Carol. Eye contact. Got a smile in return. Reached out a hand, ran it down Carol’s back. Moved in for a kiss. Felt her soften again for a moment.

“We have to…” Carol made a movement of her head. “Back to cards.” She unlocked the cubicle door, took Therese’s hand and led them out towards the rest of their evening, their partnership.


End file.
